Why Monkey Pox Cases Suddenly Appears Around the World, Could There Be a Virus Mutation?

KOMPAS.com – Appearance monkey pox which suddenly in some countries, raises the question of how viruswhich is often found in central and western Africa, managed to spread.

Many health experts say cases of monkeypox in 12 countries need not cause panic. This is because the virus is much less contagious than diseases like Covid and is rarely fatal.

However, its widespread distribution to various countries is still considered very unusual.

Read also: WHO: Monkeypox Vaccine is not needed yet and there are side effects

First identified in 1970, cases of monkeypox usually only occur outside central and west Africa when a traveler becomes infected there and then returns home.

These cases usually do not cause plague wider.

In other rare cases, imported pets become infected from animals such as rodents believed to be the source of transmission, then infecting their owners.

But the World Health Organization (WHO) said cases were increasing in non-endemic countries, with no travel or animal links identified in the majority of these cases.

So what are the main theories about why monkeypox cases suddenly appeared around the world this time?

Read also: WHO: Monkeypox is a global challenge, how big is the danger?

Protection from smallpox vaccine is reduced

Prof Raina MacIntyre, who heads the biosecurity program at the Kirby Institute, told the Medical Journal of Australia that “reduced immunity from smallpox vaccination may have contributed to the rise in monkeypox outbreaks”.

“It has been more than 40-50 years since mass vaccination was stopped,” he said as quoted by the Guardian on Monday (23/5/2022).

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